Following the terrorist attacks of Sep. 11, 2001, security measures at airports in the USA were tightened. For the security of air passengers, all checked pieces of baggage are now screened by the responsible US security authority, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). In some cases, the baggage is also opened and inspected by hand. If the piece of baggage affected by this is secured by a lock, the lock has to be opened by force.
To avoid the breaking open and thus the destruction of the respective lock, TSA locks have been developed which can be actuated using an associated special key. A TSA lock can hereby be opened by the TSA without destruction, with only the TSA having the respective special key and with a plurality of different coding types of such special keys being defined. The purchaser of a TSA lock or of a suitcase having a TSA lock, in contrast, does not have a special key, i.e. a TSA lock is only supplied without the special key. This mode of operation of a TSA lock is also explained on the internet website of the Transportation Security Administration (www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/assistant/locks.shtm).
In the meantime, a number of manufacturers have introduced baggage locks with mechanical combination locks which can no longer only be opened via a combination mechanism, but can also be opened via a lock cylinder which can be actuated by means of such a TSA special key. These lock cylinders can, for example, be configured for a dimpled key having a standardized coding of the type TSA006. Such manufacturers of baggage locks are, for example, Travel Sentry, Inc., USA (www.travelsentry.org) or Safe Skies LC., New York, USA (www.safeskieslocks.com).
It has been found that TSA locks can be opened without authorization by the introduction of very simple manipulation tools or even everyday articles of use into the keyway of the lock cylinder.